Close-view data display implant for sporting eyewear

ABSTRACT

An eyewear apparatus for use in sporting activities is provided that allows convenient view and control of a data display device by an athlete. A data display implant device including a data display and a lens is incorporated in association with sporting eyewear such as a pair of swimming goggles. The data display implant device may be an integral unit of the eyewear or may be a retrofit unit. A watertight switch is provided that can be accommodated within the athlete&#39;s mouth to control the data display. In addition, an optical control system may be provided to sense the position of the athlete&#39;s cornea to thereby control the data display.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/720,355 filed Jun. 25, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,785.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to visual display devices for displaying data in association with sporting activities.

2. Description of the Relevant Art

A common problem encountered by athletes while participating in sports is their inability to conveniently monitor data such as time--both the time of day and the passage of an elapsed time. In some cases, visual access to and control of a timing device is impossible. An example of this problem occurs when an athlete participates in the sport of swimming. Competitive swimmers must use timing devices to determine how fast they are going and to manage their training. Such timing devices are typically either small hand-held units or larger wall-mounted units. Unfortunately, these athletes are unable to continuously view the timers while swimming and are therefore required to either stop or modify their activity to get a reading of time. This requirement is inconvenient and results in inaccurate readings. Furthermore, precise measurement of lap-time while swimming from end-to-end of the swimming pool can be difficult.

The problem of visual access to and accurate control of timing and other data displaying devices also exists in other sports, such as snow-skiing and triathlon. It is therefore desirable to provide a data display device that can be conveniently viewed and controlled by an athlete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An eyewear apparatus for use with sporting activities in accordance with the present invention allows convenient view and control of a data display device by an athlete. The eyewear apparatus includes a data display implant device having a data means and a lens. The data display implant device may be incorporated within sporting eyewear such as a pair of swimming goggles and may be an integral unit of the eyewear or may be a retrofit unit. A motion sensitive switch may also be included to cause pausing of the display device following each flip-turn of the swimmer. In addition, a radio transmitter and receiver may be used to control the data display means. Alternatively, an electronic switch that is sized and shaped for placement within the athlete's mouth may be provided to control the data display means. Similarly, an optical sensor that senses light reflected from the surface of the athlete's eye could be provided to control the data display means.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the eyewear apparatus includes a transparent eye shield, means for supporting the eye shield near a person's eyes to allow viewing of objects through the eye shield, a data display means mounted adjacent to the eye shield for displaying information, and a lens optically positioned to allow viewing of the data display means through the lens. A switch encapsulated within a water-tight encasement may further be provided for controlling the data display means.

The eyewear apparatus may further comprise a mirror optically positioned between the lens and the data display means and a timing circuit coupled to the data display means. In one embodiment, the lens is a Fresnel lens. In yet another embodiment, a motion sensitive switch is coupled to the timing circuit to cause automatic control of the timing circuit upon the occurrence of a particular movement of the athlete.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the drawings and the detailed description. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the invention is applicable to data display devices used in association with sporting eyewear in general, and is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a swimming goggle with a data display implant in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded parts diagram of the data display implant.

FIG. 3 shows the swimming goggle with a data display implant illustrating the athlete's line of sight.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of the data display implant including a computer processor, receiver and transmitter.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the data display implant with a switch that may be placed within the athlete's mouth.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show diagrams of an optical control system for the data display implant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following includes a detailed description of the best presently contemplated mode for carrying out the invention. The description is intended to be merely illustrative of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense.

A first embodiment of a sporting eyewear apparatus incorporating a data display in accordance with the present invention is described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the right-side eyepiece portion 10 of a pair of swimming goggles including a data display implant 12 attached thereto. In this particular embodiment, the data display implant 12 is secured as a retrofit to a pair of conventionally available swimming goggles.

The conventional pair of swimming goggles includes transparent eye covers. As used herein, the term transparent means having the property of passing light without appreciable scattering so that objects beyond are entirely visible. Therefore, the transparent eye covers may be clear or tinted.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the data display implant 12. The data display implant 12 comprises a watertight housing manufacturable by injection molding clear plastic. The housing includes a front portion 14 and a back portion 16. Protrusions within the front portion 14 of the housing allow for positioning and mounting of the data display implant 12 on the goggle eyepiece 10. The data display implant 12 is attached to the pair of swimming goggles such that the housing obscures only the lower portion of one goggle eyepiece.

The data display implant 12 comprises several primary components within the housing 14, 16. Referring to FIG. 2, the data display implant 12 comprises a timing device 20 such as a timer IC (integrated circuit), a display device 22 such as an alphanumeric LCD (liquid crystal display) screen which may be incorporated in association with an illuminator 24 such an LED (light emitting diode), and a battery 26 to power the timer IC 20, display device 22 and illuminator 24. The data display implant 12 further comprises a lens 28 such as a flat, grooved, acrylic lens commonly known as a Fresnel lens to allow extremely close viewing of the display device 22, and a mirror 30 which allows greater flexibility in the physical relationship associated with the eye, the lens 28 and the display device 22.

The lens is mounted on or molded into the surface of the front portion 14 of the housing. The distance from the cornea of the wearer's eye to the closest plane of the lens 28 is typically from 6 to 17 millimeters. As shown in FIG. 3, the lens 28 is positioned such that the line of sight of the wearer passes through the lens 28 in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the plane of the lens 28 when the wearer views the display device 22. The mirror 30 is positioned behind the lens 28 (approximately 6 millimeters) and is angled with its plane at approximately 45 degrees with respect to the line of sight. The display device 22 is positioned approximately 13 millimeters below the mirror 30 with its display facing upward. The wearer's line of sight 31 therefor passes through the lens 28 and is reflected downward by the mirror 30 to allow optical viewing of the upward facing display device 22. The timer IC 20 and battery 26 are mounted below the display device 22. The timer IC 20 may be mounted to a printed circuit board which also mounts associated components, such as resistors. Controls 32 such as push buttons protrude through the back portion 16 of the housing for the purpose of allowing the wearer to start and stop the timer IC 20 and to change modes between elapsed time (stopwatch) and time-of-day.

The data display implant 12 incorporated in association with the pair of swimming goggles may further include a motion sensitive switch 34 such as a mercury switch which pauses the updating of the display device 22 when activated (closed). The switch 34 as incorporated within this embodiment is particularly useful in the sport of swimming since it is operatively coupled to the timer IC 20 and to the display device 22 such that the display device 22 freezes (does not change) monetarily after each flip-turn by the swimmer, allowing easier and more accurate viewing of lap times while the athlete continues to swim.

It is noted that the use of a Fresnel lens 28 allows for a reduction in both the size and weight of the required lens and, because of its reduced thickness, allows for greater distance between the eye and the lens 28 and between the lens 28 and the mirror 30 and/or display device 22. This greater clearance allows for more flexibility in design and greater safety to the wearer.

It is also noted that the reflecting of the line of sight 31 due to the mirror 30 allows for greater flexibility in creating a more compact and more streamlined housing.

It is furthermore noted that only a limited area of view is obstructed due of the data display implant 12. Therefore, the user has a near-normal range of vision when not reading the implant. The user can easily view the display device 22 by looking downward--similar to the process utilized by bifocal eyeglass wearers.

Referring next to FIG. 4, the close-view data display implant for sporting eyewear according to the present invention may further be used in association with an electronic data storage and retrieval system. The electronic data storage and retrieval system includes a memory IC 40 and a computer processor 42. A connector 44 is attached to the back portion 16 of the housing to allow connection of the memory IC 40 to the computer processor 42 through a cable 46. The data storage and retrieval system is adapted such that the memory IC 40 is coupled to the timing device 20 to allow for the initial storage of timing data, such as lap-times, while the athlete is swimming. The memory IC 40 may be incorporated as an integral component of the timing device 20. After completion of swimming, the athlete connects the cable 46 to the connector 44 to allow down-loading of data from the memory IC 40 to the computer processor 42. The timing data is thereby available for further analysis and long-term storage within the computer processor 42. As an alternative to the cable 46, a contact reader may be used which extracts information via a contact established between a small metal plate on the data display implant 12 and a similar plate on the reader. Such a contact reader is similar to that used within Polar brand name wrist heart rate monitors.

A further embodiment includes a miniature radio frequency transmitter 50 having a push-button control 54 and fitted in an elastic band 52 which may be worn on the index finger similar to a ring. The push-button 54 can be activated by bringing the thumb of the same hand into contact with the device. Activation of the transmitter sends a signal to a receiver 56 within the data display implant 12. This signal starts and stops the timer IC 20 and controls the timer IC 20 in much the same way as the motion switch 34 except that the radio frequency transmitter 50 allows greater flexibility in controlling the device.

A variation of the radio transmitter 50 and receiver 56 system may also be used to display alphanumeric information from an outside source on the display device 22. In such a system, the receiver 56 mounted within the data display implant 12 receives signals generated by an outside transmitter 50 and converts the signals for display on the display device 22. The transmitter 50 could be controlled, for example, by the athlete's coach or by a computer. This system is useful to the athlete in that it allows discreet communication of instructions or data concerning externalities which are not readily apparent to the athlete.

FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment that includes a contact switch 70 connected to the data display implant 12 by a length of wire 71. The switch 70 is provided to allow convenient control of the timer IC 20 (not illustrated in this figure) housed within the data display implant 12. The switch 70 is encased in a flexible encasing material 72 that will allow operation of the switch and also protect the switch and wire from water and wear. The encasing material 72 may be formed such that the switch 70 may be accommodated within the individual wearer's mouth in much the same way a protective mouthpiece may be fitted to an individual athlete. In the embodiment shown, an inner channel area 75 is provided between sidewalls 76 of the encasing material 72. A person may accommodate the switch 70 within his mouth by inserting his molar teeth into the inner channel area 75. The switch 70 is activated by biting down, and activation of the switch 70 controls various functions including start, stop and lap time display.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate yet another embodiment of the data display implant that includes internally an optical sensor 80 mounted to sense light reflected from the surface of the wearer's eye 82. The sensor 80 is limited to receiving the wavelength of light emitted by an LED 84 also incorporated within the data display implant. The angle of sensor 80 reception is tuned such that the light produced by the LED 84 is reflected onto the sensor 80 only when the person's cornea 86 is in a particular orientation with respect to the data display implant. In this embodiment, the sensor 80 and LED 84 are positioned such that the light from LED 84 is reflected onto sensor 80 when the wearer looks directly at the data display. An output signal of the sensor 80 is electrically coupled to the display device such that the wearer may activate the display by looking at it (FIG. 6B) and deactivate the display by looking away from it (FIG. 6A). Additional sensors and/or sensor orientations could provide a wide range of eye-movement-activated functions with respect to the display of data within implant device including, for example, control of the start and stop functions of timer IC 20.

The data display implant may further be implemented in eyewear suitable for snow-skiing, jogging or running, triathlon, bicycling, and nearly any other activity wherein access to data is a concern of the athlete. The data display implant may further be incorporated in association with conventional sunglasses for use with leisure sporting activities.

In addition, the housing of the data display implant 12 may be integrated in association with sporting eyewear as a single unit rather than as a retrofit.

It is finally noted that the timer IC 20 may include processing means to display internally or externally generated alphanumeric data.

Numerous modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is to be understood that the above detailed description of the preferred embodiment is intended to be merely illustrative of the spirit and scope of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the claimed invention is better defined with reference to the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An eyewear apparatus for use in conjunction with sporting activities comprising:a transparent eye shield; means for supporting said eye shield near a person's eyes to allow viewing of objects through said eye shield; a data display means mounted adjacent to said eye shield for displaying information; a lens optically positioned to allow viewing of said data display means through said lens; and a switch encapsulated within a Watertight encasement and electrically coupled to said data display means for controlling said data display means.
 2. The eyewear apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said switch is sized and shaped to fit within a person's mouth.
 3. An eyewear apparatus for use in conjunction with sporting activities comprising:a transparent eye shield; means for supporting said eye shield near a person's eyes to allow viewing of objects through said eye shield; a data display means mounted adjacent to said eye shield for displaying information; a lens optically positioned to allow viewing of said data display means through said lens; an optical source mounted adjacent to said data display means; and an optical sensor optically positioned to receive light produced by said optical source and reflected by a person's cornea, wherein an output signal of said optical receiver is provided to control said data display means.
 4. The eyewear apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said optical transmitter is an LED.
 5. Swimming goggles to be worn by an athlete comprising:a transparent eye cover; means for supporting said transparent eye cover near the athlete's eyes to allow vision therethrough, said means for supporting said transparent eye cover allowing a substantially water-tight seal between the athlete's face and said transparent eye cover; a data display means mounted adjacent to said transparent eye cover; a lens optically positioned to allow vision of said data display means through said lens; and a switch encapsulated within a watertight encasement and electrically coupled to said data display means for controlling said data display means.
 6. The eyewear apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said switch is sized and shaped to fit within a person's mouth. 